Union to League convert Gareth Thomas had a rather forgettable debut for the Crusaders against the Catalans Dragons on the weekend as took a knock within a few seconds of kick and never quite recovered.

Thomas, playing in his first professional Rugby League match since making the surprise switch earlier in the month, left the field battered and bruised after just 30 minutes.

The 35 year old former British & Irish Lions captain later revealed that he spent the majority of that time with blurred vision following another big knock he received early on.

"I don't know what happened but in the first tackle I took a clout on the top of the head. Then 20 minutes later my head's gone into someone's knee. As much as I didn't want to go off, I had to," said Thomas.

"But I feel fine now, I feel good. Towards the latter stages of the game I wanted to go back on but it was to the benefit of the team because I wasn't one hundred percent.

"This could have been my first game or my 100th, and what happened would have happened. It is a contact sport and it could have happened at any time.

"Now it has gone behind me I can carry on enjoying what is, I think, really and truly a great game. It is a fantastic sport to play, that is why I wanted to play a full 80 minutes," he added.

Crusaders coach Brian Noble said Thomas still has a lot to learn, but he'll get there.

"We are going to have to teach him a few of the nuances of how to protect the ball in the tackle. He wants to carry the ball a lot but he needs to learn how to do that and when to do that.

"But for his first 30-35 minutes hes done fabulously well given hes never played any rugby league," he said.

While Rugby League isn't a regular feature here on RD, many will have be interested in how Thomas is getting on. And if rumours are to be believed, there could be one or two other well known Welsh players making the switch very soon too.

League fans, you can now also check out Engage Super League highlights on the Omnisport Player on the sidebar, top right. Just mouse over the video and scroll through the options to find what you're after.

Always thought League was actually a slightly tougher game physically speaking. But don't be fooled, Alfie is hard as nails, he'll get into the swing of it. Would love to see Andy Powell play League, he has the right physique and tends to run more upright as you do in league (as anonymous pointed out).

It's a tougher game, league, the hits are more brutal.
Problem is he is leading with his head, trying to burrow in like you can in union.
If you do that in league you are going to get knocked the fuck out.

At our rugby (union) club we play league during pre-season to practice tackling and ball retention in the tackle. Every time we play it someone gets hurt lol but it is quite good fun! Has nothing on the real game tho, it gets really boring after a while.

He was silly to think he could convert to leagueat his age, he's body position was awful for both codes, either one he'd have got concussed. Obviously just went for a pay packet which you can't blame him

Not too into league myself, but you have to respect the fitness and strength of these guys. Can't think of too many successful league to union converts in NH. Jonathan Davies, Jason Robinson (obviously), Chris Ashton...Vainokolo?

semper, id imagine union...look at the following...league is huge no doubt, but there is no way the same coverage of tournaments, in fact id imagine the majority of young rugby fans (whether young means age wise or young to rugby) do not know about league....

....whilst im a fan of union, i couldnt name all the competitions...and heck, i dont know any of the comps in league....

Clearly league tackles are more brutal.
A couple of reasons for that.
The rules are much more free, shoulder charges are perfectly legal, and tackles that would be called head high in union aren't considered so in league.
The other thing is that players line each other up from ten metres away and run at each other full tilt. It increases the force of the impact.
Having played both, league is tougher in terms of hits and theres alot more work to be done (I'd make at least twenty, usually more like thrity or forty tackles a game in league, far more than I did in union). It's a simpler game in alot of ways, just pure running, tackling, kicking and passing. No set-pieces, no strange rules, no rucks, no mauls. The ref is much elss important to the outcome of a game and fitness is more important for league players than union players.
I thought union was funner to play though, as a forward, there's less running and rucks are always fun.

You must be a con and thus have no idea what you're talking about. Rugby is far harder than league... the players are generally a lot bigger and are forced to make one on one tackles, rather than pussy five on one gang bang styles shoulder blocks